EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine stories you need to know as you start your day.

1. #REFERENDUM: Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said the fiscal treaty referendum will go ahead on 31 May, despite a possible delay in its ratification in Germany. Opposition politicians had called for the date to be postponed pending the outcome of an EU summit later this month; however Enda Kenny said Ireland had to waste no time in sending out a clear message of certainty.

2. #HEALTH: Waterford Regional Hospital has implemented a full ban on visitors at the hospital after an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug. Visitors have been asked to stay away from hospital until Monday at the earliest. All services at the hospital will continue as normal.

3. #BIG LOSS: Financial giant JP Morgan has admitted it lost $2 billion after a massive trading bet went wrong. The Wall Street Journal reports that the bad bets were made on the London trading desk, which is run by a trader nicknamed “The London Whale” and “Voldemort”. Jamie Dimon, the head of JP Morgan, described the mistake as ‘egregious’ and ‘self-inflicted’.

4. #DAIRY: An Oireachtas Committee has criticised proposals to change the way cheese is advertised during children’s television programmes, saying there are “serious concerns” over the issue. Andrew Doyle TD said while childhood obesity had increased, cheese intake has flatlined. The BAI wants to change the way foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar are advertised to young people, in a move that has already been criticised by the National Dairy Council.

5. #MISSION TO PREY: The cost of the controversial Prime Time Investigates programme Mission to Prey was €184,000, including €60,000 spent on flights and accommodation, according to figures released to the Irish Times in a Freedom of Information request. Staff salaries accounted for €22,000 while travel and subsistence made up €60,000.

6. #POLITICAL ACTION: A 54-year-old man is setting off on a walk from Limerick to Dublin today in protest at the actions of political parties, which he says favours “speculators,  bondholders and European banks” over the general public.  Martin Critten hopes to form a new political party along the way by stopping at towns and villages to try and recruit like-minded people.

7. #CUTS: Up to 40 garda stations around the country could be closed under the next phase of a ongoing plan to streamline the number of stations, according to information obtained by the Irish Independent. A total of 39 stations will have been closed already by the end of next month under the initial phase of the plan. Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said Ireland’s 703 stations was disproportionate given the size of the population.

8. #GREECE: Talks are continuing in Greece in an effort to form a unity government between the main socialist and conservative parties after last weekend’s inconclusive parliamentary elections. The BBC reports that this is the third attempt by a Greek political leader to try and form a coalition after Sunday’s election produced a hung parliament.

9. #RYAN’S GOT TALENT: Dublin singer Ryan O’Shaughnessy is through to the grand final of Britain’s Got Talent after storming through last night’s semi-final. The singer was the first act who made it through to the final after topping the viewers’ vote last night. Simon Cowell has called him “a brilliant songwriter”.